Being Official
by Deeox2
Summary: Sion wants to know if Riesbyfe's reasons for being her protector are proper. Ries just gets pulled along for the ride.


The penetrating night of Misaki town is only cut up by the street lamps placed every so often on the main streets; the rest is an oppressive darkness that only those that are used to it can handle. Those creatures of the night have been a varied bunch since the arrival and defeat of Night of Wallachia, but the two that prowl tonight are no threat to the people of Misaki town.

Sion Eltnam Atlasia watches the city from the cold concrete foundation of a soon to be hotel building. The memory of her initial arrival, her purpose, her quest, wash over her partitions in sequence. It seemed so long ago now, a journey that was set out for her three years before her arrival in Japan... Her friend stood in between her and death, only to be consumed by the abyss of TATARI. She ran, only to be found. That face burned into her memory…

These visions had come to her more frequently now. The bloody smile of her ancestor, and the imposing silhouette of Gamaliel as the last remaining fighter of the Shield Knights took a final stand for her sake. She… Sion could never forget that.

"Sion?" came the voice she was waiting for. "You wanted to see me?" Sion turned her gaze to see the familiar shape of Riesbyfe Stridberg emerge from the darkness. Sion opened her mouth to speak, but Riesbyfe was not finished. "Couldn't we have just met at the mansion…?"

"Of course not! I have calculated the odds of success and this must be done here!"

"Ah, okay, okay." Ries awkwardly rubbed the back of her neck with her gauntlet. "The odds of success for what exactly?"

Sion froze for a brief moment, before pointing her finger at Ries in an exaggerated motion. "That's not important!" She threw her arm out to the side. "Come with me, now!"

Without another word, Sion jumped down a floor, disappearing into the shadows. "Sion?" Ries said aloud, staring over the edge as she slipped Gamaliel onto her arm. "S-Sion?" Ries stood there for a moment, worried, but then hurtled off after her.

In the darkness there was nothing, but Riesbyfe was used to this oppression. The void of TATARI dwarfed any sort of crippling atmosphere like this. "Sion, where did you go?"

Sion only answered her question with another question, not yet revealing her position. "You said you were my shield, right, Ries? What did you mean by that?"

"Ah, well…" Ries scratched her cheek gently, her guard instantly dropped. "I promised to protect you all those years ago and I don't intend to ever break that promise. That is my duty as a Shield Knight, after all."

She appeared out of the darkness, a serious look on her face. "So, it is simply a duty that you must uphold. Perhaps you would have wished to perish with TATARI, freed from such a burden."

"No- That's not-" Ries stammered, but Sion was already upon her. Gripping the front of her jacket in a tight fist.

Right beside her face, Sion pressed. "What is it then? Why are you still by my side? Should I have left you to disappear?"

Ries was confused, but calm. She gave Sion a simple smile. "I'm here because I am your shield. That's all-"

Sion pulled tightly on both sides of Ries' jacket, but still Ries kept Gamaliel to the side. "What does that mean? Has this all just been a fulfillment of your duties?"

Ries set her hand gently on Sion's back, pulling her in so their foreheads could touch. "No." Tears threatened to pool in Sion's eyes, but still Ries continued. "I love you, Sion." The dam broke, and tears trailed down Sion's cheeks. Ries just held her there, against herself, protecting her in her most vulnerable moments like she always had and always would. When Sion recovered and wiped the tears from her eyes, Ries leaned forward and kissed her; something she had always wanted to do but never had the chance to. Sion held her knight tightly against herself, not saying another unnecessary word.

Someone else appeared and jumped up onto the same floor. "Afterschool! Alleyway Alliance! Reunited once again!"

Sion pushed Ries away in a hurry, throwing her to the ground. "Satsuki! I said to make sure no one interrupted us, and that included you!"

Satsuki just laughed it off. "Well, I already made sure Kohaku-san didn't try and mess with your plans, but now Tohno-kun is complaining that he can't stop Ciel-senpai from eating the curry!"

Sion set her hand on her chin. "I see. I cannot stall the execution of the party any longer." She nodded. "Satsuki, please tell Shiki to prepare for our arrival." Satsuki nodded and then jumped back into the night.

Riesbyfe started to pick herself. "You planned all of this out? Are we in Melty Blood or Carnival Phantasm?"

Sion turned around, her hand still on her chin, but her other hand now on her hip. "Do not worry, Ries. This is all within my calculations." She dropped the pose, offering her hand to her knight. "Of course, all of the feelings that I expressed were true."

Ries let Sion help her back up and just gently laughed it all off. "All right, Sion… Let's go and celebrate being official." Ries smiled, and Sion knew it had all been worth it. Now she knew, for sure, that the choices of her love were for her, not because of her. Such semantics would be unimportant to some, but to Sion Eltnam Atlasia, it was of the greatest importance. And to Ries… Well, she was just happy she finally got to kiss Sion.


End file.
